Phosphate-starvation induced changes in Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

Abstract

We have analysed the response of the acidophilic chemolithotroph Thiobacillus ferrooxidans to phosphate starvation. Cultivation of the bacteria in the absence of added phosphate induced a remarkable filamentation of the cells. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed several proteins whose levels increased upon phosphate limitation, as well as some polypeptides that were exclusively synthesized under this growth limitation. One of the proteins whose level increased by the lack of phosphate was apparently an acid phosphatase with a pH optimum of about 3.8, and a molecular mass of 26 kDa, which was located in the periplasm. The N-terminal sequence of a 26 kDa protein derepressed by starvation, which may correspond to the T. ferrooxidans starvation, which may correspond to the T. ferrooxidans phosphatase, showed 30% and 35% identity with the known sequence of Lysobacter enzymogenes and Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatases, respectively.

Growth of Acidithiobacillus Ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 in Thiosulfate Under Oxygen-Limiting Conditions Generates Extracellular Sulfur Globules by Means of a Secreted Tetrathionate Hydrolase

“…2 was identified as the phosphate-binding protein PstS2 of A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270. This protein belongs to the phosphate starvation responding Pho regulon of this microorganism (Seeger and Jerez, 1993; Vera et al, 2003). Phosphate-binding proteins have also been reported in the medium of other bacteria (Tjalsma et al, 2004; Diaz et al, 2005; Meneses et al, 2010).…”

Identification and characterization of ispA, a Shigella flexneri chromosomal gene essential for normal in vivo cell division and intercellular spreading

“…Several previously described filamenting bacteria only display this phenotype under conditions of stress. A spoIIG mutant of Bacillus subtilis, for example, only filaments at 428C (Karmazyn-Campelli et al, 1992), an E. coli overproducer of the chaperone protein DnaK only filaments when subjected to conditions of high osmolarity (Meury et al, 1993), and Thiobacillis ferrooxidans requires phosphate starvation to induce filamentation (Seeger and Jerez, 1993). Likewise, V3404 only filaments in the stressful environment of the cytoplasm.…”

Characterization of the Metabolically Modified Heavy Metal-Resistant Cupriavidus metallidurans Strain MSR33 Generated for Mercury Bioremediation

“…SDS-PAGE was performed as previously reported [40]. Cells grown in LB medium supplemented with Hg 2+ (0.075 mM) were harvested at exponential phase (Turbidity 600 nm  = 0.7) and washed twice with 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0).…”

“…Cells grown in LB medium supplemented with Hg 2+ (0.075 mM) were harvested at exponential phase (Turbidity 600 nm  = 0.7) and washed twice with 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). Cells were treated as previously described [40]. Briefly, Laemmli sample buffer was added (100 µl per 5 mg of wet weight of bacteria), cells were disrupted by boiling for 5 min and cell debris were removed by centrifugation at 10,733 g for 10 min at 4°C.…”